Resilient wheel.



A. B. CLIFFORD.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1010.

989,567. Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

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ARTHUR B.' CLIFFORD, 0F BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Application filed February 2, 1910. Serial No. 541,523.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that- I, ARTHUR B. CLlrroRD, of Braintree, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient `Wheels, of which the following is a specication.

This invention has for its object to provide a wheel adapted especially for motor vehicles and the like, in which the resilience which is desirable to minimize the effect of jolts and jars is produced by a series of springs interposed between the rim and hub portions of the wheel, the rim being movable relatively to the hub in a plane at right angles to the axis of the wheel, and the springs being positively secured or anchored both to the rim and to the hub, so that the springs above the axis of the wheel are adapted to be extended by the weight of the hub and its load, while the springs below the axis are adapted to be compressed by the same means.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a wheel embodying my invention, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 represents a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings,-12 represents a hub adapted to be suitably mounted upon an axle or axle arm, and to rotate either upon the axle, the latter being non-rotary, or with an axle to which the hub may be aiiixed. In the embodiment of my invention here shown, the hub is adapted to rotate upon a nonrotating axle arm `13, suitable anti-friction bearings being interposed between the hub and the axle arm, these forming no part of my invention. The body portion of the hub is preferably a disk of relatively small diameter having a perimeter 14 adapted to form a bearing for the inner ends of a series of radiating helical springs 15 which are posi tively secured or anchored to the hub, so that they are inseparable therefrom when in use, the hub being provided with outwardly projecting or radlating spring-anchoring members adapted to positively engage the inner ends of thesprings.

The rim or rim portion of the wheel, which has a suitable tire, and is preferably of the construction hereinafter described, is movable relatively to the hub in a plane at right angles to the axis of the wheel, the

outer end portions of the springs 15 being.

positively secured or anchored to the rim so that the springs which are above the axis of the wheel are adapted to be extended by the weight of the hub and its load, while the springs that are belowr said axis are adapted to be compressed by the same means. A positive attachment between the end portions of the springs and the hub and rim is essential and is an important characteristic of my invention. The rim in the present embodiment of the invention includes an annular tire seat 16 to which the tire is suitably at tached, said seat being provided at its inner side with inwardly projecting converging anchoring members wit-h which the outer end portions of the springs 15 are positively engaged.

The inner anchoring members on the hub are preferably short studs having screw threaded shanks 17 engaged with tapped sockets formed in the hub, helically grooved portions 17a with which the inner end convolutions of the springs are engaged, and reduced outer portions 17b projecting into the interior of the spring and adapted to serve as stops, as hereinafter described. The outer spring-anchoring members are preferably composed of helically grooved collars 18 projecting inwardly from the tire seat 16, and engaging the outer convolutions of the springs, the said collars being bored and tapped to receive threaded bolts 18 which pass through apertures in circular caps 18". Said caps are externally threaded and engaged with internal threads in orices formed for their reception in the tire seat 16, the inner sides of the caps 18h forming bearings for the outer ends of the springs 15. The screws 18a have heads 18c which bear upon the outer side of the caps 181.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the hub and rim are movable relatively to each other in a plane at right angles to the axis of the wheel. The combined strength of the springs is such that they are adapted to normally maintain the hub concentric with the rim. When the hub is depressed, the springs above it are extended by reason of their positive connection with the rim, the springs below' the axis being at the same time comlar flanges at opposite sides of said members, one of said flanges being det-achably secured, a rim movable relatively to the hub in aplane at right angles to the axis of the wheel, and including an annular tire seat and parallel inwardly project-ing annular flanges integral therewith and in sliding contact with the hub flanges, said tire seat having a series of internally threaded orifices, externally threaded apertured caps screwed into said orifices, threaded bolts inserted in the apertures of said caps and having heads bearing on the caps, outer spring-anchorii'ig members detachably engaged with said bolts, and a series of radial helical springs rigidly engaged at their end portions with said outer and inner anchoring members.

2. A resilient wheel comprising a hub having a series of inner spring-anchoring members, and parallel outwardly projecting annular flanges at opposite sides of said members, one of said flanges being detachably secured, a rim movable relatively to the hub in a plane at right angles to the axis of the wheel, and including an annular tire seat and parallel inwardly projecting annular flanges integral therewith and in sliding contact with the hub flanges, said tire seat having a series of internally threaded orifices, externally threaded apertured caps screwed into said orifices, threaded bolts inserted in the apertures of said caps and having heads bearings on the caps, outer spring-anchoring members detachably engaged with said bolts, a series of radial helical springs rigidly engaged at their end portions with said outer and inner anchoring members, the said tire seat having outwardly projecting tire-engaging flanges, one of which is detachably secured, and a tire composed of a rigid inner portion bearing on said seat and having recesses to receive the said bolt heads, and a yielding outer portion having its edges clamped between the said flanges and the edges of the rigid inner portion.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR B. CLIFFORD. [Ls] itnesses L. C. HoLLIs, [1.. s]

ETHEL RANDALL. [Ls] Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

